It Is Now Or Never
by rubyphantom56
Summary: Snape goes to America to find Potter as the Wizarding world will be in need of him again. Another prophecy is about to come true, but Harry must return now or never again. Potter must choose between muggles and Snape. Eventuall HarrySeverus.
1. Prologue

A/N: Ok, this is Ash again. Now I realize that we haven't worked on much with _Unspoken Wounds_ for a while, but you have to realize that we're kind of out of ideas for that fic. So, for now, I'll be writing this story, and hopefully we'll be able to work on UW soon. So, here's the prologue of this new story, enjoy!

Title: It is Now or Never

Summary: The war has been over for eleven years, and Harry removed himself from the world of wizards in an attempt to forget everything that had ever happened. Snape is sent out to find him, and tells Harry the time to return to the wizarding world is now or never. Slash, future HPSS.

General Warning: Future Slash-yes, SLASH! Don't read if you don't like.

Chapter Warning: None for this chapter

Main Pairing currently: none yet

Disclaimer: Never owned, never will own.

Prologue Severus' POV 

I rummage around his room, hoping to find something. Anything that can lead me to where he is now, I would be grateful for. Albus is sending me out to find the brat. I don't see why I have to be the one that finds him, considering that he hates me just as much as I hate him. Although, it could be worse; I could've been sent out with Weasley and Granger.

I sigh heavily as I make my way back to the office. Why would Albus decide that Potter has to be found now, of all times? Honestly, I don't see why he needs to be found now; being gone for five years has probably done him good, and if he wanted to be found we would've found him in that time. But instead, Albus has now made it my job to find the brat.

I glare at the wall and shake my head a little. 'I really need a drink,' I think slightly. I pull open my liquor cabinet only to find a letter addressed to me sitting underneath a bottle of firewhiskey. Gently, I place it on my desk, and pour myself a cup of the whiskey and move back around to my chair. It looks like Potter's handwriting, and as soon as I open the letter, I find it is.

_Severus,_

_Do you know what kind of hell you've put me through in the last 7 years? I just wanted to tell you that it hasn't been hell now that I realize a lot. It all happened to be me trying not to realize what I feel for you. I tell you that I hate you, that I never wanted to see your face again, with your big nose and your greasy hair, but I must admit to you now that it's not the truth-Not even close. _

_The truth is that I had feelings for you for the last two years that are forbidden by all school rules, and that's why I neglected to tell you. I hurt myself more than I ever would you by telling you my feelings because of the ones you had for someone who isn't me. _

And yet, I sit here, writing these words, as I know you can never return to my heart. It is in too much pain already for the whispers of the dark to capture me again and drag me back to the place of where we were once before. I sit, wait, and hope that you'll never find this letter that I write to you now. Because should you find this letter, it must mean that I've died and you have to come looking for something to remember me by.

_Part of me wishes that I'd never left you behind, but then I look back on all the things that I've done, and I remember. I remember seeing your disappointed looks, and I remember finding myself staring up into your eyes without a care to the rest of the world. But that dream ends now with me writing you this letter, and I regret every second that I sit, dipping this quill into an ink well to write out my last thoughts on this matter. _

_I love you Severus, but I do not understand why exactly I had to be the one to fall in love, when it seems that you never wanted me here in the first place. And that's why I write this letter, to let me retain what pride I still have, and to tell you that I love you. Telling you in person would've been pointless. Out of all the things that I'd have expected to do, I never believed that it would be to do this; write you a letter that makes me believe that you'll never see me again, or to think that I'd actually let you know how I feel in the letter. _

_But that's just my point Severus; I wrote this letter just in case, just in case I happened to die on you and you never managed to hear how I felt in person. I love you Severus, but now I must say goodbye. You will always have my love. _

_Yours forever, _

_Harry Potter_

As I finish reading the letter, I sit gaping in shock. I hadn't even realized that I'd dropped my glass, or that I no longer had a headache. Instead, I just realized that I'm gaping at a letter like a fish, half expecting Potter to come out of some secret hiding spot with a camera to take a picture of my face. I'm sure he'd get a laugh out of it.

But then, I look down at the parchment again, not half believing the things written in it. So, I reread the letter another half dozen times, and realize that there must've been a mistake. Potter wouldn't have fallen in love with me. That was completely impossible. 'But then again, part of you always wanted someone to love you,' the little voice in the back of my head pointed out.

I groaned and put a hand to my head again. The headache had returned.

A/N: Let us know what you think... Please?


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: Hello, I have returned with another chapter for you all. I realize the prologue was short, but this chapter is quite a bit longer. To those of you that have reviewed, thank you so much. I don't write a lot as it is, but this story is just coming to me with mass amounts of ideas. So, here's the next chapter

Title: It is Now or Never

Summary: The war has been over for eleven years, and Harry removed himself from the world of wizards in an attempt to forget everything that had ever happened. Snape is sent out to find him, and tells Harry the time to return to the wizarding world is now or never. Slash, future HPSS.

General Warning: Future Slash-yes, SLASH! Don't read if you don't like.

Chapter Warning: New characters each with a unique personality

Main Pairing currently: None yet

Disclaimer: Never owned, never will own. I own random characters, that's it.

* * *

**Chapter 1  
**_Harry's POV_

'This is humiliating,' I think sourly as I try to shoot another basket. 'I can't do anything unless I'm flying,' I think to myself as the ball bounces off the rim. I sigh dejectedly as I go and sit on the sidelines.

"Hey, Har! You done for now?" I hear Kevin call out. "You'd better be, because I've been waiting for half an hour!" I chuckle at his tone.

"Yea, I'm done," I shout back. "You know this is one sport that I can't play at all," I said with a grin on my face.

"You can't play any sports at all Har," He tells me with his lopsided grin. I throw the basketball at him and he catches it. "Maybe if you'd watch, you'd learn something useful." I shake my head slightly, a small smile on my face.

"I'm just not the athletic type, you should know that by now. I mean, how long have I known you now? Eleven years? You know that it's near to impossible for me to know how to play any sports. I just don't have the hand-eye coordination that it requires to play most sports." I grin as I realize that if I had my broom I would. I look around confused. "Hey, where's Kelly?" I call out loud enough for him to miss a basket.

"Thanks Har, and you know, I'm really not sure. He said he'd be here about fifteen minutes ago, but then again, you know him. He's always late." That grin returned at that and I shook my head. "Ok, so he's on time or early once out of every fifty. That's still not very good odds for anyone."

I chuckle and hear the doorbell ring. "It might be Kelly," I say. "I'll get it. You shoot hoops for a while. If it's Kelly, I'll send him out to you," I call out through the house. No reply. He knows what I'd do already. After all, I've lived in the same house with the guy for eight years. I pull open the door only to find one person I never expected to see again.

Severus Snape. 'He looks exactly the same,' I think to myself looking him up and down. 'But the bigger question is how he found me,' I think slightly annoyed.

Then I hear that voice that makes my skin tingle. "Potter…"

I raise my green eyes to look at the older man. "Potter, kindly stop staring at me at let me in. It's not the most pleasant of weather outside right now," he snaps at me, the glare set to his face. I flinch slightly, forgetting the affect those eyes used to have on me.

And so, I do my only option besides slamming the door in his face. I step aside and tell him to come in.

_Severus' POV_

Ten minutes. I've been standing in front of this house, in front of the door for ten minutes. I have no idea what should happen if I press a button next to the door, so now I'm contemplating what to do. Should I knock, or just return to England and tell Albus that he was wrong about Potter's location?

I choose the first of my options and wait. There's no answer at the door. So another minute passes as I try to decide what to do next. I shrug and press the button on the side. I hear a chime go off, and I wait a little longer. Another minute passes, and Potter answers the door. Of course, it's obvious he wasn't expecting me to be standing there. "Potter," I mutter just loud enough for him to hear me. Apparently he doesn't and he stands there looking me up and down. "Potter, kindly stop staring at me and let me in," I snap at the younger man a glare returning to my features. "It's not the most pleasant of weather outside right now," and he stands aside to let me in.

I walk in, robes billowing out as I move through the main entryway into what I assume is the den. 'A muggle furnished living space,' I think looking about the room. Potter looks me up and down and tells me to wait where I am. He walks to what I believe is the backyard and tell something to someone.

I tap my foot impatiently and cross my arms. "Severus-" he starts before I raise an eyebrow and interrupt him.

"Since when are we on a first name basis Mr. Potter?" I ask, annoyance clear in my tone.

"I didn't realize I needed permission Snape," he mutters quietly enough that he might believe I do not hear it. "So, would you like a cup of tea? Coffee perhaps?" he asks in a light tone. I look at him as if he's gone insane.

"Tea will suffice," I say in an indifferent tone. He leads me into the kitchen and motions for me to sit. Half a dozen chairs are at the table, and it makes me wonder. 'Why would anyone need that many chairs for such a small house?' I think in wonder. I shrug it off and Potter returns with the tea. He hands me the cup, and I am suspicious of his motives. I glare at the tea, trying to decide whether to drink it or not.

"Snape, don't worry. I didn't poison it. If I poisoned it, they'd just send more of you after me," I hear him say, a little smile on his lips. I take a drink as he asks, "So, you found me. What do you plan on doing next?" I raise an eyebrow to the question and let him mull over the possibilities of what I might tell him before setting the cup of tea down to answer him.

"To your statement, yes, you have been found, but it was not I that found you. It was Mr. Malfoy that found you," I answer for his unasked question. I smirk behind the cup in satisfaction as he realizes which Malfoy I'm talking about.

"_Draco _Malfoy?" He asks, as if the horror of it all is too much for him to handle. 'Yes, this is rather fulfilling to watch,' I decide the smirk not leaving my lips. I nod and watch him go into a gaping fish routine again. "Why in all levels of hell would Draco Malfoy want to find me?" I merely shrug and let him pound his head against his hand. 'This is terribly amusing,' I think with a slight chuckle.

Finally when the realization of Draco finding him passes he asks me again what I plan to do with him. "Nothing," I reply finishing off the tea. He just shakes his head and the doorbell rings. Quite an annoying sound really. He excuses himself for a minute to go and open the door.

Another man is standing there, a grin plastered on his face as soon as Potter opens the door. "Kelly! You made it. Go on out back, Kev is waiting for you," I hear the overly cheerful voice say. I roll my eyes in disgust as I see both of them lean over to give quick kisses on the cheeks.

The man named 'Kelly' passes by me and decides to introduce himself. 'Stupid muggles,' I think as I stand from the chair to be polite. "Kelly Hines." He says holding out a hand.

Successfully keeping myself from rolling my eyes, I reach out and grasp the hand. "Severus Snape," I say keeping my tone indifferent. He leans forward and kisses me on the cheek, and Potter raises an eyebrow at me. After rolling my eyes quickly, I kiss both his cheeks and he moves further through the kitchen and I hear another door close. "Interesting experience," I say, sitting down again.

"I must apologize for Kelly. He's a rather nice guy, and it seems as of late he expects all people to do that, even when he first meets them. I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable," Potter says with a slight grimace in his voice. I wave my hand.

"My mother expects the same. It just reminded me of her," I say dismissing the apology. 'What the bloody hell do you think you are doing?' the inner voice yells at me. 'You get Potter to apologize to you and you wave it off? You should be reveling in glory and--' I space out and pretend the voice was never speaking to me. "So, Potter, what are you doing in America anyway?" I ask, drinking more tea.

"That's a long story that I'm sure you won't want to hear out of me," he says staring down into his cup. I shake my head. He looks up and asks, "You really do want to know, don't you?" I ponder over this for a split second before I shrug. He sighs. "Very well. Just let me grab something really quickly," he says standing up before moving back into the kitchen.

He comes back out with the pot of tea and a plate of cookies. "You might as well snack while I tell the story." I grab the pot and refill the cup, and watch him patiently. Another sigh, and he finally moves to face me, and the story.

"Right after the war finally ended, I realized that there were a lot of people that might try and blame me for all the people that ended up dying. I didn't want to have to deal with all of that, so I decided to write letters to the people I cared about," Potter pauses as he looks down at his cup, a light blush tinting his cheeks. "After all the letters I'd written had been left in specific places, I went to my vault.

"I turned all of my money into muggle currency and had it transferred and deposited into several bank accounts over on this side of the country. That was a few months after the war ended and people started sending hate letters to me about how I managed to get a son, daughter, or other members of a family getting killed in the war. I finally couldn't take it anymore so I fled.

"But I realize now that it was probably stupid, but I've vowed to never return, not unless by some strange happening, Voldemort rises again, I won't return." His eyes flashed angrily and I just stared at my cup of tea. "You see, I never wanted to fight him in the first place, so I don't see why I should go back unless there's some reason that they need me."

My hands grip the cup tightly as I raise my eyes to look at him. "Potter, that's what you don't understand. Most of your friends aren't dead, or mortally wounded anymore. There are more people that care about you than do not, and your makeshift family truly misses you. Many people, the entire Weasley family, Granger, and a large number of others care that you are worried about you. They all just want to know that you are safe and taken care of.

"That's what I was sent here for, to make sure that you were safe. A lot of people wish for your return, but should you stay out of our world for too long, there's a big risk that you can never come back. Do you want to risk all of that for this," I pause waving my hand around. "life? Is there something you can truly accomplish by being here, living with these muggles as you do?"

His eyes flashed in anger again as I finished my speech. "Well, unlike most of the others back home, I do not need them to complete who I am. I've found friends here who can care about me in a sense that isn't that of 'The Boy-Who-Lived'. I like this world far better than I have the wizarding world for the last eleven years. And the people that I truly loved… Well, they never knew, and eleven years is too long to tell someone that you're in love with them."

My heart clinched for a split second as I realized to what he was referring. The letter that I'd found over 6 years ago proclaiming his love for me was what he brought up. "Do you still love those people? Do you still have those strong feelings for the people that you loved? If so, it's never too late to tell someone that you love them," I say looking up into his green eyes.

The eyes widened a fraction as he continued to look at me.

_Harry's POV_

'How did I never see it?' I ask myself in wonder. I continue to stare at Severus' eyes, almost not believing what he's saying. "I still love the person I fell in love with back in my fifth year," I hear myself say, and his eyes widen in surprise.

"You never told Chang that you were in love with her?" He asks the tone a little light for my taste.

"I was never in love with her. It was merely infatuation, but later that year, I figured out that I was in love with someone." I say and his eyes set fixed on mine.

"Who is this person, if you don't mind me asking?" He asks, leaning forward a little.

I find myself leaning in closer. 'Just once. Taste him just once and you'll know completion,' I think my eyes sliding shut. "His name," I gulp slightly. "His name is Severus Snape."

* * *

A/N: Yes, yes, I know. I'm completely evil. I was sorted into Slytherin many times for a reason you know. Rolls eyes Don't worry; I'll be back with another chapter soon. 


	3. Chapter 2

A/N: Ok, so another chapter up. I'm surprised I've managed to get this much written of a multi-chapter series. This chapter is a little shorter, I apologize for that. Enjoy.

Title: It is Now or Never

Summary: The war has been over for eleven years, and Harry removed himself from the world of wizards in an attempt to forget everything that had ever happened. Snape is sent out to find him, and tells Harry the time to return to the wizarding world is now or never. Slash, future HPSS.

General Warning: Future Slash-yes, SLASH! Don't read if you don't like.

Chapter Warning: Kissing, naughty thoughts

Main Pairing currently: none yet

Disclaimer: Never owned, never will own.

**Chapter 2  
_Severus' POV_**

I lean back against the chair as I watch Potter's eyes fall to the ground at his admittance and then take in another sip of tea. "Potter, that's not possible," I say looking at him with a stern look. "I am not the type of man that people fall 'in love' with. I'm merely a man that they may become attached to, or infatuated with, but certainly not that. You must be mistaken about that," I say after grabbing another cookie. 'Should I continue at this rate, there will be no room for my dinner,' I think eating the cookie.

Potter's eyes hardened. "Is that what you think? I think I know better what my emotions are than you do!" He practically yelled at me. "I've had over a decade to mull over all this! Trust me, if I'd been in England when you read that note, there's no way I'd have denied it, and I won't deny that I wrote it now!"

"I should hope not. Especially considering that I've been sent here to bring you back to our world," I say waving a hand around. He gaped. I heard him in my head again, annoying brat. "Yes, Potter. Stop gaping at me like a fish out of water. It's not my idea to bring you back. It was Albus' idea."

"Do you have any idea why I wanted to leave your world in the first place?" He asked shaking his head slightly.

"Yes, I know why you wanted to leave, to forget everything that took place. And second, it's not my world, it's _our_ world. You just don't want to face that." I say staring at him with an indifferent look. "What did I tell you earlier? Try to remember." His face goes into a concentrated mode for a few minutes. I take the opportunity to eat another cookie.

A small smile passes over his face. "Glad to see you like my baking," I choke at this. I look at him in shock and drink a bit more tea to get it down my throat. "My friends miss me right? That's still not an incentive for me to return there. I have everything I could ever hope to have right here, in this place. Magic is not a concern for me now-I haven't used it in over a decade, so that's not an incentive for me to return. There's no reason for me to go back there," he says with a look on his face that makes me wonder what's going on inside his head.

"You have _no_ reason to ever return again?" I asked in slight surprise. "You find no incentive to return?" I raise an eyebrow and wait for some coherent response out of the young man. 'Potter, you have something to return for, or at least I like to think so,' the voice tells him silently. I close my eyes and rub my forehead.

I feel a hand upon my shoulder and it squeezes me gently. I open my eyes and turn my head up enough only to find Potter looking down at me with those startlingly green eyes of his. I am barely away of him talking to me quietly as my eyes fall shut again.

_**Harry's POV**_

'No reason to return?' I think in slight shock. 'Is he going to _give_ me a reason to go back with him?' I watch him with careful eyes as he closes his own dark orbs and bends slightly to rub his head. 'All of this might be giving him a headache,' I realize. I stand and move around to stand behind him and shakily put a hand on his shoulder.

My breath catches when his eyes open and he looks up at me. His eyes are full of some emotion that I can't read and I whisper, "Severus, are you okay?" His eyes fall closed again slowly and I resist all temptation to lean over and take his lips with my own.

Instead, I use both my hands on his shoulders and massage to try and relax him. He doesn't move for a second and finally starts to relax under my touch. A low sigh escapes his lips; one I hope is of pleasure as I continue to knead my hands into his shoulders and upper back. I feel my trousers start to get tight as my mind chooses now for me to imagine doing this to his chest and bum.

As I continue to move my hands, I realize there's not enough room for me to get to the middle, let alone the lower back. I motion for him to stand, and he follows me to the bedroom. I look at him intently, and he walks over and lies down on the bed. I smirk to myself, pleased at his reaction to the massage. "Do anything besides continue what you were choosing to do, believe me, I will not hesitate to hex you," he tells me sternly as he closes his eyes and folds his arms underneath his head.

I move to the bed and gently lean myself against his thigh as I move my hands into the middle of his back. "What have you done to yourself? This could take me all day to do, and even then I might not be able to get all these knots out. You should go to a massage therapist at least once a month."

"Potter, you'll do kindly to remember that there are no 'massage therapists' in the Wizarding world," he tells me without his usual malice. It must be the massage I'm giving him to keep him relaxed that has changed him like this. I smile slightly.

"You're much more pleasurable when you're not trying to be menacing and scary and relaxed as you are now," I tell him in a happy voice. He tenses up a little and I laugh. "All right Snape, I'll be quiet for now," I tell him with the smile still playing on my lips.

A while later I finish the massage. A small groan escapes his lips as I pull my hands away and I look up to his face to see his eyes open. "I think I needed that more than I really ever needed anything else in my life," he says quietly enough for me to hear. A knock reaches my ears as I glance up at the open door to see Kelly standing in the doorway.

"Harry, just wondering if it'd be alright if I stay for dinner?" Kelly asks me with a raised eyebrow. Hopefully Severus wouldn't be able to tell what the look was for. So as to not arouse suspicion, I smile brightly.

"Sure Kelly. I think I'll save you from Kevin's cooking though. It's supposed to be his turn, but I don't want to subject you or Severus here to his horrible cooking. Tell him to let me handle dinner," I tell him and he smiles. I know that Severus would pick up on the unsaid invitation.

"I accept," I hear him say from slightly behind me and I smile. "Great. Trust me, my cooking skills are much better than my Potions skills would've ever been, even with years of practice." A small smile crosses his face and I feel slightly accomplished.

I stand and offer a hand, and he raises an eyebrow at me. "So, Potter, what was that look that your friend Kelly gave us?" He asks and smirks at my blush. "Oh, he thought you were attempting to seduce me?" A low chuckle escapes him as my blush deepens. "Priceless." He pauses and then leans down slightly to my ear. "Had you kept up with what you were doing, you might've succeeded too," his breathing on my ear makes my body shake.

"Come on, we need to go and prepare dinner," I say grabbing him by the arm. "No, wait, you're the guest. You'll sit in the den with my friends until dinner is ready." He glares at me and I snicker slightly. "Actually, I could use your help. Want to cook without magic?" I swear I hear a thought in my head that's not my own. 'Believe me, there'll be plenty of magic,' it says, but I'm not sure if that's Severus' or my thought.

Instead, I shrug and drag Severus to the kitchen with him protesting about being dragged about behind me.

_**Severus' POV**_

'Potter can cook,' the voice in my head says in wonder. 'Potter can cook. I never would've thought that this brat who was so bad at potions would be able to cook so well.' I smile as I eat the food that I was forced to help prepare for the dinner.

"So Severus, you say you're here on business, but are you really?" The friend named Kevin asks me with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. I nod and take another bite of the chicken Potter prepared. "What kind of business?" I just look at Potter and he takes over for me while I try to at least attempt to try and eat the meal.

"Severus is a big time banker, and his bank owns one of the branches of the banks we know about. He came for a big meeting with the heads of that company and I told him to drop by if he had the time between meetings. Today was his day off before he has meetings for the next three days, right Severus?" He asks, glancing at me desperately.

I nod and swallow my current bite. "It's terribly boring, and it's an annual event unfortunately. Had I known that Harry lived in the area before, I would've visited. Unfortunately since I didn't until he told me where the meeting would be held in his last letter to me, I'd probably have never known." Harry beams as if it was the most amazing answer in the world.

I refrain from rolling my eyes. 'This is absurd,' the voice tells me. I wholeheartedly agree with that statement. I finish eating before the others at the table and Harry passes me the plate with the chicken to offer me seconds. Or, actually, it'd be my third helping. I hold up a hand and say, "Oh, no. I'm stuffed. That chicken is delightful. Thank you Harry, but I really must be getting back to the hotel that I've reserved for the night."

Potter shakes his head and hands. "Nonsense, you'll spend the night here. We have a guest room that's always made up, and I'd like you to be here for the night," he tells me with bright eyes. "Did you pay for the room yet?" When I shake my head he nods and says, "Great, it's settled then. Go to your car," he looks at me intently for a second and I wave my hand for a car to appear near a hotel in the area. "And drive it on over here. That way your bags can be brought inside."

Kevin said, "Maybe I should go along, just in case Sev needs a little help bringing stuff inside."

I shake my head. "Help will be unnecessary. I only have one suitcase and another small travel bag for my personal items." He raised an eyebrow at that and I did roll my eyes at him. "Toiletries, you know, toothbrush, comb, etcetera," I say with a hint of malice at him. He grins and I have half a mind to whip out my wand and literally wipe it off his face, but then I remember and refrain myself.

Potter stands and says, "No, _I'll_ be the one to accompany him. He's over at the _Best Western_ aren't you Severus?" I nod hoping he's right. "Well then, we'll just walk over and drive your car back over here."

I nod and say, "Better idea than Kev could've come up with on short notice," I say amusement playing into my voice. Potter grins at me for a second and then motions for us to leave. I nod in agreement and I call back, "We'll return shortly."

Potter is grinning all the way and I lose my patience. "Why are you smiling so damn much?" I ask, rather rudely and abruptly. Potter grins bigger. "I'm just glad that you decided to stay," he says smiling brightly. I sigh in resignation.

"The only reason I am staying is because you and all of your friends insisted it. I didn't want to be rude to people that I've met for the first time," I say still staring ahead. I clasp my hands behind my back and continue walking. Potter looks at me in shock. I raise an eyebrow and ask, "Have a problem with the way I choose to walk?" A snicker passes through his body and I see it. "Potter, try to be more discreet when you are trying to laugh at someone. Either laugh out loud, or laugh in such a way people can't tell that you're laughing."

This got him laughing really loud; as if it was the funniest thing he'd ever heard me say to anyone before. I rolled my eyes in annoyance as I waited for him to recover from that fit. "Oh, my. I needed that," he says still grinning at me. I roll my eyes again and he points. "That the car you summoned?"

I nod and he walks over. "Might want to transfigure some stuff for the things you mentioned." I raise my eyebrow and pull my wand out of a pocket. Next, I pull a small suitcase and traveling bag out of the pocket and set them on the ground. I lift the shrinking charm that had been placed on them. "Never thought you'd do that," he says a shocked look lining his face.

He shrugs instead of asking questions that I thought he would, walks over to the car, opens the trunk and lifts the things into the back. He looks inside and finds the keys in the ignition and starts the car. "Hop in," he says motioning towards the door. I open the door and close it behind me settling into the seat. We drive back the few blocks to the house and he carries my suitcase into the house.

I follow him up the flight of stairs into what I know now was the guest bedroom. He sets the suitcase next to the closet and points to another door. "That's your private bathroom for as long as you choose to stay here. I hope you'll hang around for a while," he says a small smile on his face.

I cross the room and nod. "Thank you Mr. Potter. I shall see you in the morning for breakfast," I say a small, _very_ small smile crossing my face. He notices and beams at me. "Breakfast then," I say shoving him gently out of the room.

"Snape," he says and pauses when I hold up a hand to his mouth.

"Severus," I say quietly enough for him to hear. The smile comes back.

"Severus, thank you."

"For what exactly?"

"For choosing to stay instead of sleeping somewhere else."

I think about this for a few seconds and then I let my look soften. "You're welcome Mr. Potter," I say in the same quiet tone and I start to back into my room.

"Sev, can you indulge me a bit more time?"

"For what?"

"For this," Potter says as he leans forward to press his lips against mine. I stand in shock, but the shock ends quickly as I realize that Potter is kissing me.

My lips move against his for a few seconds before he pulls away, a light blush tinting his cheeks. "Good night Severus," he says. Before I can tell him the same, he's gone.

A/N: Ok, so am I evil? You did want another chapter didn't you? I thought so. I'll see you ASAP with the next chapter.


	4. Chapter 3

A/N: Ok, so this story seems to be gaining a bit more popularity with people. I hope that you'll continue to read this as to how many ideas I seem to be coming up with as of late. So, I give you all the third chapter of this series. I'm not sure just how long this series will be, so bear with me. Read the chapter now.

Title: It is Now or Never

Summary: The war has been over for eleven years, and Harry removed himself from the world of wizards in an attempt to forget everything that had ever happened. Snape is sent out to find him, and tells Harry the time to return to the wizarding world is now or never. Slash, future HPSS.

General Warning: Future Slash-yes, SLASH! Don't read if you don't like.

Chapter Warning: Limey… kinda.

Main Pairing currently: Kelly/Sev

Disclaimer: Never owned, never will own.

Chapter Three Severus' POV 

'Potter can kiss,' the voice tells me. It's been two hours since it happened, and my brain still hasn't seemed to process that fact. 'Potter can kiss, and of all people he chose to kiss me,' the voice keeps talking. I am ready to kill that voice permanently. There's a gentle knock on my door and I turn over and get out of the bed. I open the door only to find Potter there.

"Severus, listen, what I did was completely uncalled for." His voice pierces my ears with a gentle tone and I shake my head.

"Just pretend that it never happened. Shouldn't you be sleeping?" I asked voice sounding tired. He nods and hugs me tightly. A few seconds pass and he leaves the room again. I hear something thump against the wall on the far side of my room and I realize that Kevin and Kelly must be going at it in the room next to my own. I sigh and pull out a robe.

I walk down the stairs and start a fire in the fireplace. I quietly pick up a book from the coffee table to read. What little light there is in the room makes me need to use my glasses in order to see what I'm reading clearly. Kelly walks down the stairs a little while later in a robe as well. "Severus, shouldn't you be sleeping?" he asks me quietly, approaching me.

I nod. "I should be but I find myself unable to sleep," I tell the other man as he takes a seat across from me. He gives me a bit of a look when he sees the book in my hand, and I shake my head. "Don't feel bad about interrupting. This book is rather droll," I say to him quietly and I see him snicker.

"Harry has a very poor choice in novels, I must admit. But he likes them, so for Christmas, there's usually at least one book among the gifts he receives from all of us," Kelly's face looks a little forlorn. "It's kind of a shame that a man of his age doesn't have a partner to spent his life with. He's been set on being with one person all his life, but there has never been a time when he told us the name of this guy."

He sighs and leans forward a little. "Kev and I were so happy when you showed because we thought that you were here to take him to some place that would make him happy. Instead we find out that you're just here on business and visiting him as an old friend." Kelly's eyes grow a little dark and he sighs out again.

"I know that it's none of my business, but I just thought that I should tell you that when Harry saw you, it seems he was five times happier than I've seen him in the last couple of years. How long have you and Harry known each other, if you don't mind my asking?" Kelly asked me and I honestly had no idea as to how to respond.

After a couple of minutes, I leaned forward to stare at Kelly intently. "I've known Harry for almost 20 years of my life. And honestly, I've never thought of Harry in any sort of romantic interest, which is why some things that he's told me came to a rather large shock to my system. The man that he said he was in love with for a long while," I paused, not sure that Potter would want them to know, but decided to say it anyway. "That person is I."

Kelly's shocked look told me everything I needed to know. "Harry told me tonight that he loves me and has been in love with me for a long while. And you can call me what you like, but since he told me I still haven't thought of him in a romantic capacity." Kelly just smiled a sad smile.

"Quite a shame that. You two seem like you'd fit together rather well, if that's not too bold to say to you," Kelly stated grinning at me widely. I merely raised an eyebrow in response. We sat in comfortable silence for a while after that.

A while later I turned my head from the fire and faced Kelly again. "So, my turn to quiz you. Kevin, the other man that lives here, are you two involved, or is it casual sex?" He gaped a little at the bluntness of my question but merely shrugged.

"We seem to be a couple to most people, and to me I must admit, but we've never actually gone on a date, or told one another how we felt. I come over, and we'll sit and talk like any normal couple, and have a meal, but never once as it seemed like anything more than a relationship of 'friends with benefits'. I feel a little hollow doing it after this long, but he seems to enjoy the patter as it has been for the last two years."

I turned my head down to stare at my hands. "It's a one sided love for you then. You are in love with Kevin and you've never told him," I whisper out raising my eyes to his again. He blushed and nodded. "At least you know that you love him. The only person I was ever sure that I loved made sure that I knew he wasn't into guys like that." I smile hollowly and shake my head. "It was better that way though. Never got hurt after that."

"Who did you want after that?" Kelly's voice floated quietly to my ears.

"There was no one after him. He was the only one that ever caught my attention. I never loved anyone more than him." My thoughts wandered back to my early days in school and how I told Lucius that I loved him. And then how he turned me away. I felt a hand on my shoulder again and I look up to see Kelly's face hovering above mine.

"We're the victims of unrequited love aren't we?" He asked quietly and I nodded. "Do you still yearn for him?" I nod again and he pulls me into an embrace and I feel safe within his arms. 'You don't remember the last time this happened do you?' the voice asked me quietly. My inner self shakes its head and the voice sighs in frustration. 'It was when that mongrel of a wolf held you in his arms when you were almost killed on the field.'

Kelly pulls away after a long moment and cups my face. "Severus, I'm glad that there's someone else that can understand the way I think." A tear rolls down his cheeks and I lift one hand to wipe it off. "I thought that I was alone in all of this. I just wish that you weren't going to be leaving so soon."

I nod and pull him to me, allowing him to hug me tightly and I feel tears fall down my face as my mind drifts back to Lucius and remembering the way he felt about me, and how hard my heart clenched at his words.

"_Severus, you must be insane. There's no point in loving someone when you just need to find someone of pure blood to be with and have kids for our lord. So you falling in love with me is absurd, and I refuse any sort of relationship like that with a male, let alone_ you_. Just get it through your head that I'm not interested in you like that and that I never will be interested in you like that." A smirk appears on Lucius' face and he grabs my chin to force my eyes to his. "Get that through your skull and perhaps I can find someone who is willing to play with you," he sneers at me and I wrench myself away from him. _

"_It's an all or nothing deal Lucius," I spit out at him and I whirl myself away down the hall. _

I open my eyes again to find myself staring into Kelly's eyes and he leans forward and I feel lips against mine again. My eyes fall shut as I grip the smaller man's waist and pull him towards me with a slight jerk. A gasp escapes his mouth and I use this opportunity to cup his chin up towards me and trace my tongue against his bottom lip. When I realize what is happening finally, I pull myself away and push Kelly away gently.

"We can't," I say solemnly. His look is one of confusion, and slightly of hurt. "We can't because of your love for someone who isn't me, and me trying to figure out some things about who I might have feelings for." I cup his cheeks gently and I see a spark there. "If we do, we'll only regret it in the end."

He shakes his head. "We both need this; not just to feel, but to connect fully." Normally I would've stayed strong through all of this, but there was no way that I could refuse him. He knew just what it meant for me to be so lonely, and I didn't want to refuse him completely either.

I was about to protest again when his lips came crushing down on mine and I found myself swimming in forgotten emotions and my head felt like it was floating. Gently he led me up the stairs to the room I was staying in and laid down on the bed. I quietly set up a silencing charm and walked back over to the bed. As soon as I settled myself against pillows, I felt my arms being lifted aside to unbutton my nightshirt and a pair of lips latch themselves onto a spot underneath my neck.

I gasped out quietly and felt the hands trace the shoulders of the other man as he worshipped my chest and stomach. His lips finally rest just above my belly button and he kept his lips there as he reached up slightly to pull my pants down and have my erection spring free.

His head dipped down and I felt my head go up to the heavens.

The next morning I woke up, remembering the events of last night. We didn't actually end up having sex, but Kelly finished with me, and I with him and he held me through the night. My eyes cracked open at the sunlight pouring in through the windows and felt those strong arms still around me. I smiled quietly and felt the arms tighten for a split second.

"Good morning," Kelly says quietly, and I smile.

"Good morning," I reply and lift my head to look at him. He has a relaxed look on his face and I asked quietly, "What time is it?"

He traces his fingers over my face and glances over at the clock. "Just before seven. I woke up almost a half hour ago and have been watching you sleep since then." He smiles gently and leans down and kisses me on the forehead. "Thank you for last night."

I feel myself nod against his chest and I capture his lips in a gentle kiss before pulling away. "You should go back your own room before Kevin wakes up and Harry comes to get me for breakfast." I turn back to him and I see him nod.

"See you at breakfast then," he says grabbing up his robe, pulling it around himself and walking out of the room. He opens the door again and blows me a kiss, smiles, and closes the door behind him again.

I step into the shower and hiss a little at the sudden cold water pouring down on me. It becomes warmer and I take a fairly long shower before emerging from the bathroom clad in a pair of black boxers, toweling off my hair. I pull on a pair of slacks and tie my damp hair back with a black ribbon before emerging from my room.

I walk down the stairs to see Kelly sitting at the table with a cup of coffee. "Morning," he says again brightly and I smile back, but it disappears as Potter emerges from the kitchen.

"Morning Severus," Potter says with the same brightness as Kelly. I give him a little smile and nod my acknowledgement. At my smile, Potter's grin widens and he asks what I want for breakfast. After telling him, he walks back into the kitchen and I sit down at the table next to Kelly.

Kelly reaches over and traces the back of my hand with his fingers and I turn the hand over and then he holds it quietly. A small smile appears on my face as his eyes light up as they had the night before and I put my other hand on top of his and he smiles. Potter comes out after a bit with a plate of food.

I smirk and swat Kelly's hand as it reaches for a slice of my bacon. "I'm sure Harry's working on your order, glutton," I tell him playfully and he grins.

"Well, yea, but I'm hungry now. Can't I have one bite?" He pouts at me and I resist the urge to roll my eyes. I hold up a slice of bacon to his face and he bites out at it, but I pull it away and eat it myself and he pouts some more.

Potter comes out and says with an exasperated tone, "Kelly! Here's yours, stop trying to steal Severus'. And Severus' I'm ashamed to see you teasing him so. He's a really nice guy, but if you're not careful you might turn him into you." I grin at this and Potter groans out. "Just what I needed to tell you," he sighs and goes back into the kitchen.

A little while later, Potter emerges with a plate for himself and sits across from me. Kelly has one hand on my knee and I feel Potter's foot shift and start running up and down my leg. I stand as soon as I finish my tea and breakfast and go back upstairs without a word to either of the men that were caressing me.

'Well, look at that,' the voice says. 'There's two men that are after you now, and the only one you've expressed any interest in is using you as rebound for the guy he wants to be his boyfriend but can't tell him that he loves him. Plus on top of that, you have Potter, who you knew had romantic interest in you five years ago, is still after you after eleven years. Just leave and don't return. That way you'll not have to deal with the emotions stirring deep within you again.'

I had a tendency to ignore the voice, but this time it made sense. I was going to have to leave all of the things happening in the last two days behind and never return.

A/N: Wow a whole chapter from Severus' POV. Well, it is easier to write this POV, but I'm trying for a Harry chapter next chapter. Reviews are appreciated, thank you very much. And honestly, I'd love to go back and thank you all indiviually for your reviews, but it'll have to wait. Unfortunately, i wont' be here to write for the next few days, because I'm going to not have a computer so I hope you can wait until I return. Until then, read the other stories if you haven't yet.


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you all for the absolutely wonderful reviews on the chapters! Honestly, I don't remember the last time I had so much fun writing a fan fic quite like this before. You make an author hungry for more, if you didn't know that before. So, thank you all for waiting so patiently, and here's chapter 4!

Title: It is Now or Never

Summary: The war has been over for eleven years, and Harry removed himself from the world of wizards in an attempt to forget everything that had ever happened. Snape is sent out to find him, and tells Harry the time to return to the wizarding world is now or never. Slash, future HPSS.

General Warning: Future Slash-yes, SLASH! Don't read if you don't like.

Chapter Warning: Drama, a little fluff… or a lot of fluff.

Main Pairing currently: None for this chap

Disclaimer: Never owned, never will own.

Chapter 4 Harry's POV 

Quietly from the doorway, I watched as Severus went about his room at a rather frantic pace packing his things. "Sev," I call from the doorway and his eyes are clearly full of shock at not realizing I've been standing and watching him for the last few minutes. Honestly, I am not even sure myself why I decided to watch him instead of just alerting him of my presence earlier…maybe it was just because I didn't want to deal with his look.

I step inside and close the door again, for another time in the last couple of days. Severus' eyes stay slightly wide as I glide over, lean in and press my lips against his. He stands as if startled for a few seconds before he leans himself into the kiss. I feel my head go light as one strong arm comes to wrap itself around my waist and I press myself against him, hoping to feel more of him. Quietly though, he breaks the kiss and looks down at me.

"Potter--" he starts before I interrupt him.

"You could call me Harry, Severus." I tell him quietly as he just stares at me.

"Potter," he says again and I sigh quietly, removing myself from his arms. "I don't think it's a good idea for me to spend any more time here. You told me that you have no reason to go back with me, and that's where it'll just have to stand." His eyes had the same odd look in them as they had before. "That's why we can't become involved. If you "love" me as you think you do, then it'll just hurt more when I actually leave you."

I stare at him, a slight gape set to my features, and I know it. "Sev, you can't mean that. You would only say something like that to me for two reasons, and those are not acceptable." When he just stared at me, I was ready to club him. "Either you don't have feelings for me, which that kiss pretty much disproved, or you slept with one of my friends, which I'd have known about." Severus' eyes fell to the ground for a split second, and I knew immediately it was the latter. "Who?" He leaned forward to kiss me on both cheeks, and I know that was answer enough. "Kelly?! You slept with KELLY?" I was practically shouting at him.

His features suddenly became hard again. "No _Potter_," he hissed at me. "I didn't have sex with Kelly. I was merely a pleasure toy until that other boy of yours discovers Kelly's in love with him. Surely that's obvious to even you," he spat at me, a glare lining his features. I stood in silence for a couple seconds.

"Yes, I know that Kelly is after Kevin, but believe me, the way he acted this morning was almost like he's after you," I say, noting Severus' reaction. "And _yes_ I noticed that this morning."

Severus stared at me. "Notice what exactly?" I sighed out in exasperation.

"You and Kelly, that's what. That much is obvious to anyone with a pair of eyes. Kelly has some interest in you, that much is apparent, even to someone as "slow" as me." I pause, not knowing exactly how to continue. "You know what, I honestly don't care if you and Kelly did anything, not really. I do love you Severus, and I wish you would see that already. That should be apparent after all the things I've done to try and prove it to you. Did you ever see my letter?"

He pauses slightly before nodding. "Yes, Potter I saw your letter to me. I didn't find it until 5 years later. You know I seldom drink as it is, and you placed it near the back of the cupboard. How did you even manage to get it in there anyway?"

"I had Dumbledore open it for me," I mutter stepping closer to him again. When he took himself back to retain distance from me, I felt my heart shatter into pieces. "Severus, please." I step again, and he steps back again, making sure we won't touch. I feel the tears, and they burn. "This is how you want it then? You'll stay here for the next couple nights and not allow us to be involved because you'll be leaving for England again. You don't want us to be hurt by this."

I didn't even need to put those thoughts into questions. No, not when the way he was acting was clearly declaring that. I turn away and I hear him call out after me, but I don't look back. Tears burn my eyes and scorch my cheeks as they fall and my shoulders shake with silent sobs. I won't give him that satisfaction. I close my eyes and open a door and run into someone.

Kevin. "Har? What's wrong buddy?" The taller body gently envelops me into a hug and I cling to the shoulder I'm offered. I feel my body lifted and I assume I'm carried into his room, but I cannot tell because my eyes are shut so tightly those thoughts into questions. No, not when the way he was acting was clearly declaring that. I turn away and I hear him call out after me, but I don't look back. Tears burn my eyes and scorch my cheeks as they fall and my shoulders shake with silent sobs. I won't give him that satisfaction. I close my eyes and open a door and run into someone.

Kevin. "Har? What's wrong buddy?" The taller body gently envelops me into a hug and I cling to the shoulder I'm offered. I feel my body lifted and I assume I'm carried into his room, but I cannot tell because my eyes are shut so tightly with tears sliding down my cheeks. "It'll be all right eventually Harry. He'll leave in time, and you can go back to being the happy go lucky guy that we all know and love. Don't let the fact that you love him get you down."

This and more words are spoken to me as I slide in and out of consciousness until finally the blackness welcomes me and I rest at last. When my eyes open next, I can clearly see the sun beginning to set in the west from the window that my eyes adjust to. Next, the fuzzy figure to my left becomes a bit clearer, and I reach around for my glasses. Grasping them lightly, I slide them onto my nose and look over at the figure in the chair. My heart pounds as I realize just who is sitting in that chair.

Severus Snape was watching over me? I feel my eyes start to sting with tears again and I chastise myself for it. I'm not supposed to cry over someone who will never allow himself to return any kind of feelings for anyone else than himself.

"Good to see you awake Potter," Severus says with his usual tone. I can't believe we got back to this-to this place where I want to just sleep and never wake because the Severus in my dreams would never hurt me as much as the real one would.

"What're you doing here Snape?" I spit at him and his eyes widen for a split second and I realize that if he didn't care that he wouldn't have reacted to my tone. "Where's Kevin?"

His gaze returns to the window and the sunset. "Kevin took Kelly out to dinner about twenty minutes ago. Based on that, I don't expect them back for at least another hour." His head turns back to me and I see an unknown emotion in his eyes, but notice that it doesn't reside anywhere besides there. He turns his gaze down from mine and says, and I can note sincerity in his tone, "I'm sorry Harry."

"_I'm sorry Harry…Harry…I'm sorry…"_ the words spin about in my head and I feel like time has stopped. My heart won't quit pounding in my chest and I can't form anything more coherent than, "Severus?"

He doesn't answer me. He keeps his gaze to the ground and says it again. "I'm so sorry Harry." My heart feels like it's breaking again, but not out of sadness, but out of empathy. "I'm sorry," He sounds broken himself, or lost, and possibly afraid. I don't know how to react but before I can, he is up out of the chair and out of the room.

The dam breaks again, and I cry. Long minutes later, I rise out of the bed and go to his room. I touch the knob, but it rings with magic inside my ears. I close my eyes, and let the magic pour out through my body and I can see the spells keeping the door locked and warded so I can't get to the room within. Suddenly, the magic is released, and I realize that I managed to break the wards without doing much other than using my own magic to release it. I knock on the door carefully, but there is no answer from Severus.

I push the door open, but there is nothing inside the room. Severus is gone, but he left a part of himself here. There's a note on the dresser, tied with his black ribbon. I pull the ribbon off first and bring it to my face. His scent is still there, lingering almost like a forgotten memory.

The letter feels heavy in my hands, and I know that if I open it now, that it might just hurt me more now than it could later. So, instead, I carry it into my room and set it on my night table and curl up on my bed, wishing sleep to will me away.

The Next Morning 

When I next wake, the letter is still there and I reach over to open it.

_Harry,_

_I apologize from the depths of my heart for causing you such pain, but I think that we both need to do some thinking. I leave you this note, and my ribbon because I'll return for it. I'll explain everything when I return in three day's time, but I regret that it may not be what you desire to hear. If you will still welcome me within your home at that time, I shall stay long enough to explain to you, but if not, we can make some arrangement somehow to meet outside the home. _

_Sincerely,_

_Severus Snape_

Tears choose now to appear in my eyes. Three days. I suppose that I can wait that much longer since I've waited for over a decade to have him. Yes, three days longer wouldn't be long.

A/N: Sorry the short chapter folks, but I know you wanted one right? So here it is. Want a preview for the next chapter? Sure you do.

Preview for chapter 5: "We have much to discuss. It will take about five days to explain it all. Think you can wait that long?" I nod, knowing full well that I can.


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